The S-Rank Paparazzi Reincarnates as an Idol - Chapter 37

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 37
‘I never thought I’d be happy to see this eye-twitch again.’
After several seconds of the eye-twitch subsided, the System window had transformed into a translucent blue panel.
Ding.
[Cha Si-woo!]
‘Damn it!’
[I missed you ㅠㅠ]
‘Where the hell have you been?’
The System window flashed its translucent blue panel repeatedly, as if asserting its presence.
[I was forcibly shut down as one of the penalty effects. If you hadn’t received the reward from this Quest, we might never have seen each other again.]
‘One of the penalty effects?’
So the penalty for the loan wasn’t just one thing?
The fact that there were other penalties beyond the forced repayment of the borrowed energy was quite disorienting.
‘So the penalty is completely over now?’
[No. Actually, you’ll receive a total of three penalties for the loan.]
‘What? You should have told me that beforehand!’
[I couldn’t help it.]
‘Then what’s the last one?’
[The last one is… I don’t know either.]
‘Are you messing with me?’
[I’m being serious. Since it touches your inverse scale, I can’t predict what will happen.]
‘So I have to pay the price three times just for borrowing once.’
There was no loan shark more ruthless than this.
‘I need to make sure I never borrow again if I can help it.’
[That’s a wise decision.]
‘Since I’m back, let me check my stats.’
Ding.
[Stats Window]
Cha Si-woo (20)
Appearance: A-
Singing: B
Dancing: C
Charisma: B+
Stamina: B+
Ability: ???
Status: Paparazzi who regressed five years into the past.
Fatigue: 0
‘Everything’s still intact.’
It was disappointing that I didn’t gain any stat points from the Quest reward.
Still, having that noisy system reappear did lift my spirits a little, even if my mind was in turmoil.
[I’m touched ㅠㅠ]
‘Now respond instantly whenever I call.’
[Yes!]
“And now, for the first ranking announcement ceremony, our top candidate trainee—please come up to the Stage!”
By the time I finished talking with the System, the rankings had already reached first place.
On the Screen, the image was split in half, showing Yoo Ho-seung and Kim Sun-yu.
‘Exactly the two I expected.’
The veteran versus influencer showdown had a flavor that reminded me of popcorn.
“Both of you, I’d like to hear your thoughts on being top candidates in the first ranking announcement. Kim Sun-yu, would you share your feelings first?”
Kim Sun-yu, who received the microphone from Yu Hae-in, flashed a composed smile toward the camera.
“Thank you to all the National Directors who supported me in reaching this position. I’ll do my best to repay your support by showcasing my utmost abilities, just as earnestly as my desire to be here!”
Applause poured down as Kim Sun-yu bowed toward the camera.
“We heard your aspirations well, Kim Sun-yu. Now, Yoo Ho-seung, would you share your thoughts?”
Yoo Ho-seung, who received the microphone from Kim Sun-yu, had tension written all over his face.
A subtle rigidity showed in his expression.
“To be honest, I never expected to be a top candidate for first place.”
Yoo Ho-seung swallowed hard, his eyes unwavering.
“It was only through the affection and love of the National Directors that I, despite my shortcomings, could reach this position. I’ll work hard to ensure you don’t feel disappointed and will protect this place. Thank you!”
‘This one’s really about genuine fan love rather than skill.’
As applause from the trainees echoed, a deep bass tone rumbled through the speakers, settling across the floor.
A low frequency like a slowly beating heart struck my ears.
Boom. Boom…boom.
Soon after, the strings began to tremble so faintly it was almost inaudible.
“The trainee who takes first place in Star picking5’s first ranking announcement is…!”
The sound gradually intensified, becoming denser and denser.
“Congratulations. It’s trainee Kim Sun-yu!”
The veteran had won.
As a cheerful fanfare blared, confetti exploded.
Bang!
Glittering paper scattered across the Stage, falling slowly.
“Kim Sun-yu, please share your thoughts on taking first place!”
The composed smile from moments before had vanished—Kim Sun-yu’s eyes were reddened, clear tears glistening in them.
“I’m truly…so grateful….”
Transparent tears streamed down his face under the spotlight.
“This ranking is so…sob. More than I deserve….”
His hand holding the microphone trembled, and tears clung to the back of his hand as he wiped his eyes.
“Sob…. Thank you for supporting and voting for me like this. Honestly, I was so worried whether I could receive the fans’ love again…, but thank you for believing in me once more and supporting me…. Waaah!”
Slowly crumbling, Kim Sun-yu lowered his head and burst into tears.
Several trainees who had been applauding at his heartfelt, tear-filled remarks also had reddened eyes.
“That was truly moving. Kim Sun-yu, who took first place in Star picking5’s first ranking announcement, please move to the Throne Chair!”
Kim Sun-yu walked with tears wiped away by the back of his hand as the camera persistently followed and captured every moment.
“Congratulations!”
“I knew you’d come in first, Sun-yu!”
“Woooow~”
As Kim Sun-yu climbed the stairs toward the Throne Chair, the trainees standing in their places clapped continuously, their congratulations pouring forth without end.
Finally, the moment he passed by my side arrived.
“Congratulations, Sun-yu.”
“…!”
Kim Sun-yu, who had been crying with snot running down his face, suddenly pulled me into an embrace and began sobbing uncontrollably.
‘Ah… he’s going to get snot all over my shoulder.’
As I watched the camera with its red light on and gently patted Kim Sun-yu’s back, he began to wail.
“Waaaaaah.”
“…Don’t cry.”
“Si-woo… waaah.”
‘That bastard. He must have been through a lot emotionally.’
Only after patting Kim Sun-yu’s back several times was he finally able to sit in the Throne Chair.
Satisfied with capturing Kim Sun-yu’s scene, the camera persistently filmed Yoo Ho-seung before finally lowering.
‘Hmm. This feels a bit off.’
It seemed the rivalry between first and second place was an inescapable fate for editing.
“Now that first place has been announced, we will proceed to announce the final 50 surviving trainees.”
Tense BGM flowed through the speakers once more.
Only after an unremarkable trainee was announced as 50th did Kim Sun-yu stop crying.
‘Come to think of it, Kim Sun-yu is still quite young.’
As the 50th-place trainee sat in the red plastic chair, a farewell song—the very epitome of parting—flowed through the speakers.
“The 50 trainees who have been eliminated, thank you for your hard work so far. We will continue to support your idol dreams! Please return home safely!”
At the brutally blunt closing remarks, the trainees with gloomy expressions began to leave.
Some shed tears, while others wore expressions of undisguised melancholy.
Watching the backs of the 50 trainees departing under the Staff Member’s direction, my heart felt nothing but bitter.
‘Gathering these young, naive kids and doing something this cruel. What is this?’
Society was inherently cold, but that didn’t mean one ever grew accustomed to its cruelty.
Finally, as all 50 trainees left, the Filming Location felt strangely empty.
‘Well, half of them just disappeared at once, so it makes sense.’
“The 50 surviving trainees! Thank you for making it this far.”
“Yes!”
“To celebrate your survival, we’ll now begin a series of mini-games!”
As if to refresh the atmosphere, an upbeat and lively version of the theme song Cheer me on flowed through the speakers.
As the trainees, now accustomed to reacting, responded with varied enthusiasm and cheers, Yu Hae-in, wearing a satisfied smile, picked up his cue card.
“The mini-game we’ll be hosting today is the Star picking5 Sports Event!”
“Woooow!”
“The Sports Event will consist of 5 events as mini-games. Trainees who score high in the games will receive benefits for the next Idol Survival mission.”
“Really?!”
At the mention of benefits, hope rekindled in the eyes of trainees whose tears had moments before glistened with despair.
“Yes. You can look forward to it. Please change into your athletic wear and come back.”
☆☆☆
The trainees, now dressed in training gear emblazoned with a sports brand logo instantly recognizable to anyone, gathered in the Auditorium.
Apparently, the rising broadcast recognition had attracted a sports brand sponsorship this time around.
Yu Hae-in, fully outfitted in striking blue Unidas athletic wear with its signature three-stripe design, picked up the microphone.
“The clothes are so comfortable—probably because they’re made with such good functionality.”
The product placement came across naturally, befitting a first-tier idol’s experience.
Still, everyone dressed in the same blue outfit made for an amusing sight.
With everyone wearing identical clothing, face-to-face comparisons became inevitable.
‘I absolutely must avoid standing next to Yoo Ho-seung.’
Seo Ha-yul and Rua tried to avoid it too, but it wasn’t easy to push them away in front of the cameras when they naturally drifted to my side.
“Now then, let’s officially begin the Star picking Sports Event!”
The BGM played a familiar indie song commonly heard at school athletic festivals.
“Wow, it’s been forever since I heard this song.”
A wave of nostalgia lingered at the tip of my nose.
“That’s the song from elementary school sports days.”
Seo Ha-yul beside me nodded in agreement.
“Oh, you too? Me as well!”
Rua chimed in with understanding, clapping along.
Looking around, the atmosphere had grown quite cheerful.
‘It must be thanks to the relief of making it into the top ranks.’
“And now, the first mini-game event of our grand sports festival…!”
‘I’m not sure if this is meant to exhaust us so we can’t overthink things, or if it’s just for content.’
Either way, with benefits on the line for the next mission, I planned to give it my genuine effort.
“It’s an O or X quiz game!”
“…What?”
The unexpected game choice deflated my initial anticipation.
The trainees, who had shown their bewilderment, quickly composed themselves and offered enthusiastic reactions.
‘…If that’s all it is, why make us change into training gear?’
Since the sponsorship required filming, and considering the cost-effectiveness of a game that could accommodate fifty trainees simultaneously, an O or X quiz game was the inevitable choice for the first event.
“You see that white line in the center? Left is O, right is X. Now let’s begin the first O or X quiz game!”
“Woooo!”
Text appeared on the large Screen mounted above the Stage in the Auditorium.
[If someone spreads false information with the intent to defame another person and damages their reputation, they face imprisonment of up to one year, detention, or a fine of up to two million won.]
“Huh?”
Confused by the sudden legal question, the trainees began to hesitate and shift uncertainly.
‘Why would they ask a legal question on an Idol Survival O or X quiz?’
“What the…?”
“Roll!”
I was probably the only trainee here who knew the answer.
“Alright, starting the countdown. 5…4…3…”
I shifted my steps toward X.
“Huh? Cha Si-woo, are we filming toward X?”
“Cha Si-woo, let’s go together!”
About ten trainees were standing at X, and Seo Ha-yul and Rua followed after me.
“1…and that’s it! Stop moving! No more movement allowed now.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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